Wildlife at Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve
The Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve is located on the coast of Kenya, 110 km north of Mombasa and is protected as a National Forest Reserve. This fascinating forest wilderness is nestled besides the beaches of Watamu, just minutes from the waters of the Indian Ocean.
The Arabuko Sokoke National Park, situated at the north-western edge of the Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve, is only a few square kilometers in size and constitutes only a small portion of the latter.
The reserve is mainly a bird watching destination, and several endemics and near-endemics can be found here. The forest is a magical place to spend a couple of hours – and a welcome refuge from the coastal heat – but don’t expect to see any of the big safari animals.
It’s also home to about 270 bird species, 33 species of snake, flying handkerchief butterflies and some impressive fauna: elephants, the shy Aders’ duiker (antelope), and plenty of Sykes’ monkeys and yellow baboons.
The forest has 40 recorded mammal species including African Elephant, African Buffalo, African Civet, Caracal, Syke’s Monkeys, Yellow Baboons, and Lesser Galago (or bushbaby). Some of Kenya’s rarest mammals are found here, including the Golden-rumped Elephant-shrew, Sokoke bushy-tailed Mongoose and Ader’s Duiker. But the wildlife isn’t all small scale in this reserve – you may also come upon the resident herd of full-size elephants as they tromp to the nearby Sabaki River bordering the forest. And buffalo are found in these enchanting woodlands.
The place is also rich in rare and endemic wildlife with six taxa of butterfly endemic to the East African coast, present, as well as three rare near-endemic mammals, and amphibians.
This rich forest once hid another secret. The 13th-century Swahili town of Gedi thrived here for hundreds of years, hidden away from Portuguese invaders and the influence of the outside world. The town was eventually deserted, and today the ruins of Gedi, lying among the trees and twisting vines of the forest are a haunting reminder of the past. Contact us to know more about Wildlife at Arabuko Sokoke Forest Reserve.